EJ&T: Leviticus 33-35: Canaanites, Cities of Refuge, Revengers of Blood, and the two-witness rule

In the Every Jot and Tittle project, I am listing all of the Bible's commandments from Genesis to Revelation, in accordance with Jesus's words in Matthew 5:18-19. I have no idea how many commandments I'll find, but Jewish tradition claims there are 613. See here for a list of those that I've found so far.

Make six cities of refuge (three on each side of the Jordan River), where accidental murderers can flee.

Ye shall appoint you cities to be cities of refuge for you; that the slayer may flee thither, which killeth any person at unawares. And they shall be unto you cities for refuge from the avenger; that the manslayer die not, until he stand before the congregation in judgment. And of these cities which ye shall give six cities shall ye have for refuge. Ye shall give three cities on this side Jordan, and three cities shall ye give in the land of Canaan, which shall be cities of refuge. These six cities shall be a refuge, both for the children of Israel, and for the stranger, and for the sojourner among them: that every one that killeth any person unawares may flee thither. Numbers 35:11-15

Then Moses severed three cities on this side Jordan toward the sunrising; That the slayer might flee thither, which should kill his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in times past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live: Namely, Bezer in the wilderness, in the plain country, of the Reubenites; and Ramoth in Gilead, of the Gadites; and Golan in Bashan, of the Manassites. Deuteronomy 4:41-43

Thou shalt separate three cities for thee in the midst of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to possess it. Thou shalt prepare thee a way, and divide the coasts of thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee to inherit, into three parts, that every slayer may flee thither. And this is the case of the slayer, which shall flee thither, that he may live: Whoso killeth his neighbour ignorantly, whom he hated not in time past; As when a man goeth into the wood with his neighbour to hew wood, and his hand fetcheth a stroke with the axe to cut down the tree, and the head slippeth from the helve, and lighteth upon his neighbour, that he die; he shall flee unto one of those cities, and live: Lest the avenger of the blood pursue the slayer, while his heart is hot, and overtake him, because the way is long, and slay him; whereas he was not worthy of death, inasmuch as he hated him not in time past. Wherefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt separate three cities for thee. And if the Lord thy God enlarge thy coast, as he hath sworn unto thy fathers, and give thee all the land which he promised to give unto thy fathers; If thou shalt keep all these commandments to do them, which I command thee this day, to love the Lord thy God, and to walk ever in his ways; then shalt thou add three cities more for thee, beside these three: That innocent blood be not shed in thy land, which the Lord thy God giveth thee for an inheritance, and so blood be upon thee. Deuteronomy 19:2-10

The Lord also spake unto Joshua, saying, Speak to the children of Israel, saying, Appoint out for you cities of refuge, whereof I spake unto you by the hand of Moses: That the slayer that killeth any person unawares and unwittingly may flee thither: and they shall be your refuge from the avenger of blood. And when he that doth flee unto one of those cities shall stand at the entering of the gate of the city, and shall declare his cause in the ears of the elders of that city, they shall take him into the city unto them, and give him a place, that he may dwell among them. And if the avenger of blood pursue after him, then they shall not deliver the slayer up into his hand; because he smote his neighbour unwittingly, and hated him not beforetime. And he shall dwell in that city, until he stand before the congregation for judgment, and until the death of the high priest that shall be in those days: then shall the slayer return, and come unto his own city, and unto his own house, unto the city from whence he fled. Joshua 20:1-6

Murderers must be killed by "the revenger of blood" (the victim's nearest male relative).

And if he smite him with an instrument of iron, so that he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. And if he smite him with throwing a stone, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. Or if he smite him with an hand weapon of wood, wherewith he may die, and he die, he is a murderer: the murderer shall surely be put to death. The revenger of blood himself shall slay the murderer: when he meeteth him, he shall slay him. But if he thrust him of hatred, or hurl at him by laying of wait, that he die; Or in enmity smite him with his hand, that he die: he that smote him shall surely be put to death; for he is a murderer: the revenger of blood shall slay the murderer, when he meeteth him. Numbers 35:16-21

But if any man hate his neighbour, and lie in wait for him, and rise up against him, and smite him mortally that he die, and fleeth into one of these cities: Then the elders of his city shall send and fetch him thence, and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. Thine eye shall not pity him, but thou shalt put away the guilt of innocent blood from Israel, that it may go well with thee. Deuteronomy 19:11-13

If someone kills another person accidentally, then the congregation sends him to a city of refuge, where he shall live until the high priest dies.

(If the killer leaves the city of refuge before the high priest dies, the revenger of blood can kill him.)

But if he thrust him suddenly without enmity, or have cast upon him any thing without laying of wait, Or with any stone, wherewith a man may die, seeing him not, and cast it upon him, that he die, and was not his enemy, neither sought his harm: Then the congregation shall judge between the slayer and the revenger of blood according to these judgments: And the congregation shall deliver the slayer out of the hand of the revenger of blood, and the congregation shall restore him to the city of his refuge, whither he was fled: and he shall abide in it unto the death of the high priest, which was anointed with the holy oil. But if the slayer shall at any time come without the border of the city of his refuge, whither he was fled; And the revenger of blood find him without the borders of the city of his refuge, and the revenger of blood kill the slayer; he shall not be guilty of blood: Because he should have remained in the city of his refuge until the death of the high priest: but after the death of the high priest the slayer shall return into the land of his possession. Numbers 35:22-28

It takes two witnesses to kill a murderer.

Whoso killeth any person, the murderer shall be put to death by the mouth of witnesses: but one witness shall not testify against any person to cause him to die. Numbers 35:30

EJ&T - Leviticus 30: Promises

In the Every Jot and Tittle project, I am listing all of the Bible's commandments from Genesis to Revelation, in accordance with Jesus's words in Matthew 5:18-19. I have no idea how many commandments I'll find, but Jewish tradition claims there are 613. See here for a list of those that I've found so far.

Men must keep their promises.

If a man vow a vow unto the LORD, or swear an oath to bind his soul with a bond; he shall not break his word, he shall do according to all that proceedeth out of his mouth. Numbers 30:2

A woman who lives in her father's house doesn't have to keep her promise, unless her father agrees with it.

If a woman also vow a vow unto the Lord, and bind herself by a bond, being in her father's house in her youth; And her father hear her vow, and her bond wherewith she hath bound her soul, and her father shall hold his peace at her; then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she hath bound her soul shall stand. But if her father disallow her in the day that he heareth; not any of her vows, or of her bonds wherewith she hath bound her soul, shall stand: and the Lord shall forgive her, because her father disallowed her. Numbers 30:3-5

A married woman desn't have to keep her promise, unless her husband agrees with it.

And if she had at all an husband, when she vowed, or uttered ought out of her lips, wherewith she bound her soul; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her in the day that he heard it: then her vows shall stand, and her bonds wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband disallowed her on the day that he heard it; then he shall make her vow which she vowed, and that which she uttered with her lips, wherewith she bound her soul, of none effect: and the Lord shall forgive her. Numbers 30:6-8

And if she vowed in her husband's house, or bound her soul by a bond with an oath; And her husband heard it, and held his peace at her, and disallowed her not: then all her vows shall stand, and every bond wherewith she bound her soul shall stand. But if her husband hath utterly made them void on the day he heard them; then whatsoever proceeded out of her lips concerning her vows, or concerning the bond of her soul, shall not stand: her husband hath made them void; and the Lord shall forgive her. Every vow, and every binding oath to afflict the soul, her husband may establish it, or her husband may make it void. But if her husband altogether hold his peace at her from day to day; then he establisheth all her vows, or all her bonds, which are upon her: he confirmeth them, because he held his peace at her in the day that he heard them. But if he shall any ways make them void after that he hath heard them; then he shall bear her iniquity. Numbers 30:10-15

Widows and divorced women must keep their promises.

But every vow of a widow, and of her that is divorced, wherewith they have bound their souls, shall stand against her. Numbers 30:9

Alma 25: Another Lamanite conversion

The Laminates who hadn't converted were more angry than ever. Instead of sticking around to kill the Anti-Nephi-Lehis, though, they decided to take their armies into Zarahemla to attack the people in the land of Ammonihah. They killed everyone there. 

And behold, now it came to pass that those Lamanites were more angry because they had slain their brethren; therefore they swore vengeance upon the Nephites; and they did no more attempt to slay the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi at that time. 25.1  

 But they took their armies and went over into the borders of the land of Zarahemla, and fell upon the people who were in the land of Ammonihah, and destroyed them. 25.2

But after killing the Ammonihahites, the Lamanites lost many battles to the Nephites. Among those who were killed were almost all of Amulon's descendants, and most of the descendants of Noah's other priests.

And after that, they had many battles with the Nephites, in the which they were driven and slain. 25.3

And among the Lamanites who were slain were almost all the seed of Amulon and his brethren, who were the priests of Noah, and they were slain by the hands of the Nephites; 25.4

The remaining Lamanites fled to the wilderness. Out there, they remembered the words of Aaron and many of them converted. The remaining descendants of Amulon were not happy about this conversion, though, so they started burning to death any new converts.

And the remainder, having fled into the east wilderness, and having usurped the power and authority over the Lamanites, caused that many of the Lamanites should perish by fire because of their belief -- 25.5 

For many of them, after having suffered much loss and so many afflictions, began to be stirred up in remembrance of the words which Aaron and his brethren had preached to them in their land; therefore they began to disbelieve the traditions of their fathers, and to believe in the Lord, and that he gave great power unto the Nephites; and thus there were many of them converted in the wilderness. 25.6 

And it came to pass that those rulers who were the remnant of the children of Amulon caused that they should be put to death, yea, all those that believed in these things. 25.7

Of course, the new converts weren't too happy about being burned to death. They started hunting down the Amulon's descendants and killing them. Unfortunately, they didn't get them all. The ones that they didn't kill fled into the east wilderness.

Now this martyrdom caused that many of their brethren should be stirred up to anger; and there began to be contention in the wilderness; and the Lamanites began to hunt the seed of Amulon and his brethren and began to slay them; and they fled into the east wilderness. 25.8

The descendants of Amulon are, TO THIS DAY, hunted by the Lamanites. This fulfills the dying words of Abinadi, who predicted that the Lamanites who burned him and so many of his people would be scattered across the land and slain.

And behold they are hunted at this day by the Lamanites. Thus the words of Abinadi were brought to pass, which he said concerning the seed of the priests who caused that he should suffer death by fire. 25.9 

For he said unto them: What ye shall do unto me shall be a type of things to come. 25.10 

And now Abinadi was the first that suffered death by fire because of his belief in God; now this is what he meant, that many should suffer death by fire, according as he had suffered. 25.11 

And he said unto the priests of Noah that their seed should cause many to be put to death, in the like manner as he was, and that they should be scattered abroad and slain, even as a sheep having no shepherd is driven and slain by wild beasts; and now behold, these words were verified, for they were driven by the Lamanites, and they were hunted, and they were smitten. 25.12

When the Lamanites finally realized that they couldn't beat the Nephites, many of them decided to join the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi. They buried their swords, bows and slings, and started worshipping God and following the laws of Moses.

And it came to pass that when the Lamanites saw that they could not overpower the Nephites they returned again to their own land; and many of them came over to dwell in the land of Ishmael and the land of Nephi, and did join themselves to the people of God, who were the people of Anti-Nephi-Lehi. 25.13 

And they did also bury their weapons of war, according as their brethren had, and they began to be a righteous people; and they did walk in the ways of the Lord, and did observe to keep his commandments and his statutes. 25.14  

Yea, and they did keep the law of Moses; for it was expedient that they should keep the law of Moses as yet, for it was not all fulfilled. But notwithstanding the law of Moses, they did look forward to the coming of Christ, considering that the law of Moses was a type of his coming, and believing that they must keep those outward performances until the time that he should be revealed unto them. 25.15

Ammon, Aaron, Omner and Himni were very pleased. They had successfully converted most of the Lamanites. Hip hip .... Horoay! Hip hip .... Hooray!

And now behold, Ammon, and Aaron, and Omner, and Himni, and their brethren did rejoice exceedingly, for the success which they had had among the Lamanites, seeing that the Lord had granted unto them according to their prayers, and that he had also verified his word unto them in every particular. 25.17 

 

Guest Post: Apparent Contradictions, Part 1, by Berend de Boer

For this post, I invited Berend de Boer to have the floor to discuss contradictions that he thinks I should remove from the Skeptic's Annotated Bible. Berend created a website called "The Skeptic's Annotated Bible answered", where he has went through the entire SAB with his comments, alongside mine, explaining his stance on the relevant verses.

Here's an example page from his website, and here's a link to the preface of his website.

It took him 7 years to complete, so it's pretty clear that although he's a believer, he does really know his Bible. So let's hear what he has to say. So far he's given me 5 explanations of contradictions. I'm going to post them one at a time so we can examine them here at the blog.

A note about the comments for this post: I usually allow just about any comment to be published on this blog, but for this post I'm going to delete any comment that is more name-calling than substance. 

Apparent contradictions

In a court room we often hear the claim that two witnesses contradict one another. But a claim does not an argument make. Everyone recognises that such claims come from a source with a bias: the lawyer for one of the parties. The claim needs to be proven.

Every Bible scholar will recognise that there are apparent contradictions in the Bible. But do they ever rise to a true contradiction? One party believes that the Bible is a book written by fallible humans, copied with errors over the ages, and yes of course, things have gone wrong here and there. Another party even believes that there was intention to deceive, the Bible can't be trusted. And then there's the party to which I belong which believes that although humans were used to write the Bible, they were moved by the holy Spirit, and that God has preserved his Word uncorrupted throughout the ages. And the latter party is at odds with the first two.

In this article I want to advocate for an approach to raise the discussion above a ‘he said’, ‘she said.’ It's an approach I've used when I wrote a full reply to all issues raised by the author of the Skeptic's Annotated Bible, and occasionally have spelled out in detail. My challenge to the author of the SAB is to rewrite all suitable contradictions as a syllogism.

The earliest form of the syllogism comes from Aristotle, and its most famous example is as follows:

1. All men are mortal. [major premise]
2. Socrates is a man. [minor premise]
3. Therefore Socrates is mortal. [conclusion]

In addition I will use Euler circles (think Venn diagrams) for those who are more visually oriented. The syllogism expressed as an Euler circle:

This diagram shows the set of mortals, men are a subset of this, and Socrates is a subset of men. It clearly shows that yes indeed, Socrates is a mortal.

Did Moses marry a Canaanite women?

Let's apply this approach to some contradictions. The first one is Numbers 12:1. The relevant portion of the verse:

And Miriam and Aaron spake against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married.

Mr Wells comments:

Miriam and Aaron (Moses' brother and sister) criticize Moses for marrying an Ethiopian woman and thus breaking the law of God ... But God makes it clear that his rules don't apply to his favorites, and he strikes Miriam with leprosy.

Let's rewrite this as a syllogism:

1. God forbade to marry a daughter of the Canaanites.
2. The Ethiopian woman was the daughter of an inhabitant of Canaan.
3. Moses married her, therefore he broke God's law.

Instead of using a syllogism to highlight the logic, we can use an equivalent Euler circle:

The argument is that Moses' wife was an Ethopian woman, and an Ethopian woman was a Canaanite, which was in the class of women God had forbidden to marry.

Back to the syllogism: if the major and the minor premises hold (the first two clauses), then the conclusion is unassailable: Moses broke God's law. But that however is not the case, the minor premise is false: Ethiopia happens to be quite outside Canaan. It's like saying: the Native American woman was the daughter of an inhabitant of Russia.

The correct Euler circle demonstrates this clearly:

The two categories of women don't overlap. So there is no contradiction.

Conclusion

I challenge Mr. Wells to give his contradictions as a syllogism. If Mr. Wells gives his contradictions as a syllogism, the correct conclusion then depends on the application of logic, and he can argue if his premises are correct.

I have given three examples of this: one where his minor premise was incorrect, one where his conclusion did not follow, and one where his major premise was incorrect.

I'm certain that in almost every instant it is clear that either his logic or his premises are incorrect. There may be remaining cases where it is very hard to argue either way, due to the distance of time, but regardless it will not be impossible to show that a reasonable defence is possible.

---

Berend de Boer has an M.Sc in software engineering, and currently lives in Auckland, New Zealand. He is interested in applying more logic and computation to apologetics and theology. A few years ago he completed giving a response to all issues raised by the Sceptics Annotated Bible.

Eid al-Adha

It's Eid al-Adha agian. You know, the day where you're supposed to kill an animal for God in honor of Abraham's willingness to kill his son.

Hundreds of millions of animals throughout the world will have their throats slit today just to make Allah happy.



It is amazing how much evil can be caused by an imaginary God.